Drivers of delay in tuberculosis diagnosis among underserved groups in Portugal: An exploratory convergent parallel mixed-methods study.
Pulmonology·
- DOI
- 10.1080/25310429.2026.2720832
- PMID
- 42706887
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- —
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Publisher unavailable
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The abstract frames diagnostic delay as relevant to tuberculosis control in Portugal, particularly for underserved populations. It links reducing delays with preventable morbidity, ongoing transmission, health inequities, and progress toward TB targets.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The study examined contributors to overall delay in tuberculosis diagnosis in Portugal, with attention to underserved groups, and considered strategies that could reduce delays.
Study design
The abstract describes an exploratory convergent parallel mixed-methods study. It used survey data, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, descriptive statistics, and thematic analysis.
Population and setting
The setting was Portugal, focused on people with tuberculosis, particularly underserved groups. The quantitative component included 55 surveys, and the qualitative component included 27 interviews and two focus group discussions.
Main findings
The abstract reports a median total diagnostic delay of 45 days, with an interquartile range of 21 to 60 days. Exploratory comparisons indicated longer delays among underserved groups than in the general population, and reported barriers included symptom normalization, cost and travel constraints, stigma, referral fragmentation, administrative complexity, limited clinic hours, staff attitudes, and language issues.
Public-health relevance
The abstract frames diagnostic delay as relevant to tuberculosis control in Portugal, particularly for underserved populations. It links reducing delays with preventable morbidity, ongoing transmission, health inequities, and progress toward TB targets.
Important limitations
The abstract identifies the work as exploratory, and the reported data come from 55 surveys plus qualitative interviews and focus groups. This summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata; the full paper would be needed for decision-grade interpretation.
GIDS interpretation
For discoverability, the supplied classifiers place the article under tuberculosis, diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance, and transmission dynamics, with country tags including Portugal and Andorra. The abstract itself is centered on Portugal and diagnostic delay among people with TB, especially underserved groups.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 8 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.